Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat poses with parade participants dressed as first president Sukarno and vice president Mohammad Hatta at Museum Gedung Joang 45 in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Aug. 16. The event was held to commemorate the 71st Independence Day on Aug. 17. (Kompas.com/Kurnia Sari Aziza)

Jakartans celebrate Independence Day with parade

Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat poses with parade participants dressed as first president Sukarno and vice president Mohammad Hatta at Museum Gedung Joang 45 in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Aug. 16. The event was held to commemorate the 71st Independence Day on Aug. 17. (Kompas.com/Kurnia Sari Aziza)

More than 1,000 people joined an annual parade organized by the Jakarta administration and the Museum of the Drafting of the Proclamation on Tuesday as one of the events to commemorate the 71st Independence Day on Aug. 17.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat kicked off the parade, which was participated in by 1,100 students, veterans and members of community groups dressed like first president Sukarno and vice president Mohammad Hatta.

The parade was also intended to create unity among people, Djarot said in his opening speech, especially in the lead up to simultaneous regional elections in 2017. Political parties and mass organizations in the country are divided due to separate vested interests in the elections, he added.

“Sukarno, Hatta, Gen. Soedirman and Tan Malaka would cry to see us divided . Citing Bung Karno, we must all stand proud and united as Indonesians,” Djarot said at Museum Gedung Joang 45, referring to national heroes.

He also urged people to remain united despite differences over preferred candidates for next year’s elections.

Djarot and his wife rode ahead of the parade in Sukarno’s official car, on loan from Museum Gedung Joang, from the museum building to Proclamation Monument in Central Jakarta. (rin)